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Africa is truly the cradle of life. Roam the famous Serengeti National Park, nearly 15,000 sq km of rolling savanna that shelters an astounding array of animals from miniature dik-dik antelopes to lions and the noble African elephant. Spot wildlife among the ethereal vistas from atop the Ngorongoro Crater. This is also a human journey that puts you among Kenya and Tanzania's bustling markets and plantations, and in the valleys once inhabited by humankind's earliest ancestors. If you want to experience some of the most superb game-viewing in Africa, then this will truly be a tour to remember.

NEW UPDATES FOR 2019:
In 2019 this trip will include a local homestead lunch in Kericho on day 2 as well as Mto Wa Mbu evening village walk and dinner on day 7. The length of the itinerary will not change.

Why you'll love this trip

Shop for local wares and interact with townsfolk at the Mwigobero Market on the edge of Lake Victoria

Explore the Serengeti National Park in depth, with two early-morning and two late-afternoon game drives through this spectacular wildlife arena

Learn about the Great Rift Valley where the annual migration of some two million wildebeest plays out

Take a mind-blowing safari across the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater in an open-roof 4X4 for a chance to see the endangered black rhinoceros

Accompanied by a local crew — a leader, driver and cook – you'll be in excellent hands for the duration of your adventure

Is this trip right for you?

Camping in the Serengeti National Park with no barriers between you and the animals is amazing, but it's important to heed the safety advice of your leader. You'll be briefed on arrival.

Our purpose-built overland vehicles allow for excellent game viewing, equipped with large sliding windows. They have no air-conditioning, however, so they can get dusty and hot at times.

The going can be slow over the long distances and often bumpy roads. A little bit of patience will go a long way towards your enjoyment of this beautiful land!

This is a participatory camping trip, so team spirit is key. You'll be expected to help out with camp setup, food preparation and cleaning.

As the early bird catches the worm, the early camper sights the animals. There will be many early starts either to make use of the better safari time or to beat the morning traffic on long travel days.

Some passengers will have been travelling together prior to the start of this trip. Please see The Masai Heartlands trip to see what you're missing out on.

Jambo! Welcome to Kenya. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. You can arrive at any time as there are no activities planned until this important meeting. Please ask the hotel reception where it will take place. If you can't arrange a flight that will arrive in time for this, consider arriving a day early so you are able to attend. If you are going to be late, please inform the hotel reception. We'll be collecting your insurance details and next of kin information at this meeting. If you arrive early, perhaps head out and explore the National Museum of Kenya, the Karen Blixen Museum or the highly recommended Bomas of Kenya where traditional homesteads of several Kenyan tribes are displayed in an outdoor village.

Notes: Petty theft is common in Nairobi. As a general rule, the safest place for your valuables is on your person in a neck wallet or money belt, though your hotel room or reception may have a safe in which to store things. If you do decide to go exploring, make sure you get local advice on where it is and isn't safe to walk – particularly for later in the day. Be careful not to leave bags unattended on chairs or floors when in bars or restaurants. Without being paranoid, appearing vigilant is a great deterrence to would-be thieves. Also, make scans of important travel documents and email them to yourself – this will save you hours of paperwork if anything does happen.

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night)

Optional Activities

Nairobi - National Museum - USD10

Nairobi - Karen Blixen museum - USD14

Nairobi - Bomas of Kenya - USD12

Nairobi - National Park safari walk - USD30

Nairobi - Giraffe Center - USD12

Meals Included

Board your safari truck and travel west (approximately 8–9 hours). Today’s destination is near the hilltop town of Kisii, which will be the last chance to stock up on supplies before heading into Tanzania. Crossing the incredibly scenic Great Rift Valley on your way to the tea-growing highlands is a fantastic introduction to the landscapes of Kenya. You will pass through the ancient homeland of the Maasai. Keep a look out for these tall, graceful tribesmen dressed in distinctive scarlet robes as they tend to their prized herds of cattle. The roads on the way are pretty rough, but there will be chances to stop and stretch your legs, including a picnic lunch in the town of Narok. You will be accommodated in either very simple shared rooms (with bedding provided) or in a camp which will be set up for the night. There is no WiFi available at the camp.

Accommodation

Basic Hotel (1 night)

Meals Included

Travel towards the Kenya-Tanzania border and to the shores of Lake Victoria (approximately 7–8 hours). This is not only Africa's largest lake – it's the largest tropical lake in the world. Its shores are shared by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The guided bike excursion is a great activity to stretch the legs, learn about the town, visit an African marketplace and meet some locals (you'll need to bring your own helmet if you want to wear one). Or you can simply chill out on the lakeside sand with a cold drink. Make the most of the ATM and local market to stock up for your next three days of adventuring in the wilderness. You will camp on the shores of the lake tonight, at one of its least visited campgrounds, on the outskirts of a small town called Musoma. Depending on availability, you might be able to upgrade to a room. No WiFi is available tonight.

Accommodation

Camping (with facilities) (1 night)

Included Activities

Kisii - Soapstone carving cooperative

Optional Activities

Musoma - Guided Bike Excursion - USD20

Meals Included

Travel from Lake Victoria to the gate of Serengeti National Park on a smooth road (approximately 3 hours) and enjoy a picnic lunch at the entrance to the park. Enter the Serengeti and take a game drive en route to your campsite. The wide open plains of the Serengeti – green after the rains, brown and burnt in the dry season – are home to thousands of hoofed animals and fierce predators. Flat and rolling, with long grass and acacia trees, these plains get their name from the Maasai word Siringet – 'The place where the land moves on forever'. Your campsite is right in the action, within the park itself, so listen out for the sounds of nocturnal animals as you drift off to sleep. The camp is basic with limited running water and no upgrades or WiFi available.

Accommodation

Camping (with basic facilities) (1 night)

Included Activities

Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive

Optional Activities

Musoma - Market visit - KES500

Meals Included

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Special Information

Our camp within the Serengeti National Park does not have a fence to separate the camp from the animals. This is quite the experience as animals such as buffalo and hyenas often come close to camp after sundown. On arrival at the camp your leader will give a detailed safety briefing on what is required to ensure the safety of the group.

Start the day with a game drive at dawn. You will head out while the animals are at their most active, then head back to camp for brunch at around 11 am. After spending the warmer part of the day relaxing, as the animals do, depart again at dusk for another adventure through the wild. You'll return in time for dinner. There's also the option of a balloon ride over the park today. If you have pre-booked this activity (please see the 'Important Notes' section) you will be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site. After a safety briefing, you will glide through the dawn, sometimes at tree height, which provides amazing photo opportunities. Sometimes you will ascend, getting an overview of the enormity of the plains and the early morning movements of the teeming herds. After landing, you'll be treated to a five-star bush breakfast, then be returned to your camp.

Notes: The balloon ride is offered as a pre-booked service which will guarantee you a place. If you would rather wait and try to get a better price by booking this locally on the ground, you are welcome to, but keep in mind that this is a popular activity and places are limited.

Accommodation

Camping (with basic facilities) (1 night)

Included Activities

Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive

Optional Activities

Serengeti National Park - Balloon Ride (from price) - USD599

Meals Included

Enjoy a game drive on your way out of the park today. After lunch you will enter the Ngorongoro Conservation area. Your destination today is the rim of the crater (approximately 3 hours). Your campsite overlooks jagged volcanic peaks and rolling grasslands thousands of feet below – you can be sure that there are few campsites in the world with a better view than this! The campsite has flush toilets and hot showers available, but no WiFi or optional upgrades. It can get very cold on the crater rim, particularly during the winter months (June to August) when temperatures drop below zero. Even in the summer months it can be surprisingly chilly at night, so be sure to bring some warm clothes.

Notes: You will notice some Maasai villages in the region of the Ngorongoro crater offering a cultural experience. Intrepid recommends avoiding these villages, as they can impact negatively on the Maasai culture and travellers' perceptions of it by selling an artificial experience.

Accommodation

Camping (with facilities) (1 night)

Included Activities

Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game drive

Meals Included

A gigantic, perfectly intact volcanic crater, Ngorongoro is home to some 30,000 animals. Among these are endangered black rhinos, lions, leopards, elephants, impalas, zebras and hippos. The crater floor offers excellent game viewing all year round, and the photo opportunities here are unrivalled. You'll drive out of the crater and head to Mto Wa Mbu for a look around town and craft market before continuing to your campsite (approximately 5–6 hours). A small village community that's off the tourist trail, Mto Wa Mbu is a fascinating snapshot of small-town African life. Your campsite is in Meserani, on the outskirts of Arusha, and has flush toilets and showers. Upgrades to rooms are possible, depending on availability, but there is no WiFi.

Accommodation

Camping (with facilities) (1 night)

Included Activities

Ngorongoro Crater - 4x4 Game Drive

Meals Included

Set off early this morning (around 7.30 am), heading for the border with Kenya and then on to Nairobi (approximately 7–8 hours). On arrival in Nairobi, you'll be dropped at the finishing point hotel. No accommodation is provided for tonight, but this can be arranged when you book this trip. You can also choose to finish your trip in Arusha this morning.

Notes: It's important not to book any flights departing Nairobi earlier than 8 pm (or 11 am if you're departing Arusha).

Meals Included

Breakfast

Lunch

Special Information

FINISHING IN ARUSHA: If it is more convenient, we offer the option to finish the trip in Arusha on the final day rather than transferring back to Nairobi. The group will be travelling through Arusha at approximately 9am. You can either be dropped at the Impala Hotel in the centre of town or at Arusha airport. If flying out of Kilimanjaro airport, you will need to make your own way or arrange a transfer at additional cost.

We recommend you do not book flights out of Arusha airport until after 10.30am.

Important notes

1. A single supplement is available on this trip. Please speak to your booking agent for further information
2. This trip finishes upon arrival in Nairobi on Day 8. Please do not book any flights until after 8pm this evening.
3. If it is more convenient, we offer the option to finish the trip in Arusha on the final day rather than transferring back to Nairobi. Please do not book flights out of Arusha airport until after 10.30am.
4. An optional sunrise balloon ride in the Serengeti National Park is possible on this itinerary. Please see Days 4-5 for full details of this activity. As the balloon only holds 16 people, places are limited and we recommend that you book in advance. Please inquire when booking your trip to book this optional activity.

NEW UPDATES FOR 2019:
In 2019 this trip will include a local homestead lunch in Kericho on day 2 as well as Mto Wa Mbu evening village walk and dinner on day 7. The length of the itinerary will not change.

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.